Three Arrows and an Elf
by Haline
Summary: Based on a reference made in Hunt Not So Simple. Our favourite Mirkwood prince encounters some nasty Orcs...angst and a struggle for survival ensues.
1. Chapter 1

**Three Arrows and an Elf **

**A short note: **Hey, this is me with my new story, a shortish one based on references made in _Hunt Not So Simple_. Um…for those of you who are reading that story; it's been put on hold…just for a little while, mind, until exams are over. This one I have had written for a little while now, and thought I would like to share it. I am not a doctor, and never claimed to be...I don't know if surviving something like this is humanly (or elvishly) possible. I will pretend it is for the purposes of this story, and please don't flame me if your medical knowledge is better than mine. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Any elvish translations will be at the end of the chapter. Thoughts are in italics. I haven't really written angst before, so I don't know if it is any good, but here it is anyways! Please enjoy and let me know what you thought…but be gentle, I'm just starting out!

**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to the wonderful and incredibly talented J.R.R Tolkien, and I just…use them…(coughs).

**Chapter One**

Legolas turned around and found himself directly in the line of three arrows. He heard Elladan cry out his name, and saw Elrohir bash several Orcs in the head to try and get a clear shot at the Orc archers. But neither was to any avail, as time stood still for Legolas. The soft scent of the woodland forest was the last breath he took before the arrows slammed into his body.

There was just a burst of pain before total numbness took over his awareness. Knees collapsing, Legolas knelt on the ground, dumbly looking at the three protrusions from his chest. He knew one had pierced his lung…and yet he found he was very calm about it. No pain whatsoever penetrated Legolas' consciousness as he continued to stare at the growing blood stains on his tunic. The velvet green was turning an ugly dark colour.

He looked up. The battle seemed to be abating, and the twins prevailing, urged on by the sight of their best friend slowly choking to death…for that is what was happening. Legolas felt his breathing shallow and hitch. With what remaining mind he had, he assessed his injuries. _Pierced lung from one arrow will likely be the death of me, _Legolas thought. _Yet there is no pain. _He felt himself sinking as a blurry person knelt in front of him, gently holding his shoulders so he did not fall forward and push the arrows all the way through.

"Legolas?" A panicked voice broke through his consciousness and he was harshly jerked back to reality by a stinging slap on the face. He suspected it was meantto bring him back, but he felt himself sinking deeper."Legolas, just stay with me, it will be all right, just stay awake, that's it…"

Unheeding the pleading tone of the voices, Legolas felt his mind shutting down and he ignored the identical cries for him to hold on. He succumbed to the darkness and felt, saw and heard no more.

* * *

"Ada! Ada! Ada!" Panicked cries echoed through the halls of Imladris, drowning out the mid meal din from the dining hall. People got up from their seats as Elrond's twins ran through the doors, Elrohir cradling the Mirkwood prince and Elladan crying out for his father.

Elrond rose from his chair, dropping his glass of water on the table, unheeding as the clear liquid spilt over the tablecloth. He ran to his sons, fearing the worst. Reaching the prince, he only had to look once at the broken off shafts before turning swiftly on his heel.

"Come!" His voice was harsh as he fled down the hallways, getting there seconds before Elrohir. When the younger twin hurried in cradling Legolas, Elrond had gone to a bed in a private room of the healing chambers, and had armfuls of bandages brought. A healing assistant was already concocting potions and poultices that he knew would be needed, and smell of _athelas _had invaded the room.

Elrohir laid Legolas on the bed, stepping back as Elrond, having rinsed his hands, began to cut away the prince's tunic and undershirt, completely removing the top part of the elf's clothing. Elladan removed the younger elf's boots, leaving Legolas only in leggings. Elrond stopped his ministrations once this had been accomplished and looked at Legolas for a minute. Then he sterilised a knife by holding it in a lit candle.

Before he began to cut, Estel ran into the room. A young lad of fourteen, he was a much-valued assistant in the healing chambers, and he gasped at the sight of his beloved Legolas. Deciding questions could wait, he moved to the head of the bed, taking one of Legolas's hands in his own. He began to soothingly talk to the prince, even as his eyes welled with tears at the sight of his life long friend.

"I need to operate to get the arrows out. His lung is pierced. Legolas is not in a very deep sleep, and this will probably rouse him. I cannot give him anything for the pain, it is too risky at this precarious time." Elrond sighed and looked at his youngest. "I will be surprised if he makes it, Estel."

Estel nodded once and squeezed Legolas's hand. He began to talk once more, and when Elrond pressed the knife and made the required incisions, Legolas opened his eyes at the contact of the slightly warmed blade. Blue orbs were wide with pain, and tears leaked out unconsciously when his senses registered the agony he was in. Every once in a while, he would make an unearthly sound – half scream and half groan. His breathing grew erratic and he began to gasp. His lungs were collapsing and his breathing hitched. He could not breathe…

Legolas groaned and gasped as he struggled to take breath in. Elrond steadfastly ignored it, although tears were threatening to blur his vision. Pushing feeling inside, his voice joined Estel's as they whispered meaningless words as he worked. Elladan held Legolas's other hand and Elrohir wiped away the blood as Elrond worked on stitching the wounds.

"The arrows are out. The lung is sutured. Estel, put your mouth over Legolas' and breathe into it."

Estel looked at his father, shocked. Never had Elrond asked anyone, **ever **to do that. _Dire circumstances, _Estel thought.

"Estel! Do as Ada said!" Elrohir's voice was sharp as he noticed that Legolas's breaths were very few, with too many pauses. The blood flow was slowing down as each wound was sutured, but Legolas had turned extremely pale, from the pain, blood loss and lack of oxygen.

As Elladan looked up from petting Legolas' hand and monitoring his pulse, he looked at his younger human brother. The lad was extremely adept at the healing arts…but something like this…

He need not have worried. Estel had taken to the task diligently and Legolas' breathing was starting to even out, losing the erratic quality it had had. Every five seconds without fail, Legolas' chest moved up and down. His eyes were open, but they had a faraway look to them…almost as if he was not in the room. Consciousness was slipping away from him, and as Elrond snipped off the last suture, Elladan put a cup of sleeping herb in front of Legolas' lips.

Estel ever so gently moved Legolas' head upwards and the cup was tilted so the herbal drink ran down the injured elf's throat. Legolas' eyes closed, and he fell deep into slumber.

* * *

**A/N -** please let me know what you think! 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Author note:** Um, hello? –Wanders in and ducks several nasty orcish looking objects – I am so sorry it has been such a long wait for this chapter. Here in Australia it is winter, and ski season, therefore I have been quite busy with that. I hope you enjoy the conclusion of _Three Arrows and an Elf_!

The healing room was quiet, the only sounds punctuating the midnight hour being the soft breathing of several elvish occupants. Legolas Greenleaf, prince of Mirkwood, was lying on the lone bed in the middle of the room, pale skin a striking contrast to the brightly coloured duvet that covered him from the waist down. The same material covered the pillow under his head, making his cheeks seem even more sallow than they were in reality. His chest, covered in a white bandage, was moving up and down rhythmically, and he would have looked merely asleep were it not for the light lines of his forehead, indicating that he did not rest easy.

The twin sons of Lord Elrond were sitting in identical plush chairs beside the bed. Elladan's head was hanging over the armrest, long hair brushing the ground. Elrohir was caught in a rather interesting position, lying on his back in the chair, right leg raised up over his head and left leg stuck under the purple cushion. The twins were both fast asleep. Every so often, Elrohir would lift up his arm and set it down again, to the wry amusement of the room's other occupant, their father.

Elrond of Imladris, the only waking person in the room, was sitting beside Legolas and at the current point in time, taking the younger Elf's pulse. Concluding that the prince's condition remained stable, Elrond sat back and sighed, wearily rubbing his eyes. The last six days had been extremely trying for the whole family, and tension was rising, as Legolas had still shown no signs of waking.

Standing up and relinquishing his gentle hold on Legolas's hand, Elrond walked to the window and stared out into the darkness outside his home. The trees rustled reassuringly to him, and gave him heart. As he listened to the voices of the trees, he nearly missed the slight sound coming from behind him.

Hardly daring to believe his ears, he turned around and hurried to the bed. The pain lines on Legolas's forehead had deepened, and he was moving his head to and fro on the pillow. Sitting down on the bed, he took Legolas's hand once more and placed his other hand on the prince's brow. It was warm, but fever had not taken Legolas, much to the relief of the Peredhil family. Squeezing the younger elf's hand, he whispered to Legolas, hoping not to startle the injured elf.

"Tithen pen, it is time to wake up." A slight moan greeted these words, and light blue eyes opened to look into Elrond's grey ones. The prince's eyes were clouded, and it was painfully obvious that the elf was not fully aware of where he was, or what had happened. Gently stroking Legolas's forehead, Elrond smiled down at his young charge. "Tell me how you feel."

"Ada?"

"Nay, little one, it is Elrond." The elven lord was heartbroken at the whispered, childlike plea for the comfort only a parent could bring. "I sent a message to your Ada, and he will be here late tomorrow. Will that be all right, Legolas?"

"Aye," he whispered, staring over Elrond's shoulder, until the older elf turned to find his sons standing behind him. He addressed an unspoken request for the two to stay with Legolas while he found something for the pain.

Elrohir took Elrond's place as the older elf went to his herbal cabinet, and claimed possession of his friend's hand. Elladan, meanwhile gently pressed a glass of water to Legolas's lips, and saw a minimal amount run down the other elf's throat. Knowing that was all Legolas could take at the moment, he sat down on Legolas's other side.

Elrohir began to tenderly stroke Legolas's forehead, and he felt the prince begin to relax slightly underneath the touch. When Elrond came back with a warm cup of herbal drink, Legolas was more coherent, enough to be able to speak in short sentences.

"How long?"

"Six days, tithen pen. But you took a grievous wound, and that was to be expected. We are very happy that you are awake now, though. You gave us quite a scare." While he was saying this, Elrond had allowed his herbal concoction to slide down the elf's throat.

"Forgive me," was all Legolas could say as the herbs took hold.

"There is nothing to be forgiven, tithen Legolas."

THE END 

**Elvish translations: **

Tithen pen – little one.

Ada – Dad/Daddy.

Tithen Legoals – little Legolas.

**A/N** – Thanks for sticking with me, and many, many thanks to the people who reviewed. You guys are awesome, and life is just not the same without you! To all the lurkers who didn't leave a review, thanks for reading! Cheers, and take care!


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